Three ambitious young brothers are targeting Europe and the United States after setting up a company designing and manufacturing a range of chairs designed for people who are disabled or elderly.

Company directors Martin, Ryan and Jonathon Tierney — aged 18, 19 and 20 respectively — spotted a niche in the market after their mum Martina, an occupational therapist, pointed out that patients could not find chairs to meet their needs.

Their dad James, a civil engineer, helped them fine-tune the idea and now Seating Matters, which is based at the former Huco site in Limavady, employs nine people and manufactures 40 chairs a week. Martin, who was head boy at Limavady Grammar School, said: “We've put in a lot of work for the past two years and now we are selling chairs throughout Northern Ireland and the Republic. Next we will exhibit at trade shows in Germany and the US to grow our exports and sign up European distributors.”